Integrated circuit (IC) cards are becoming increasingly used for many different purposes in the world today, principally because they are ideal tools for the delivery of distributed, secure information processing at a low cost. An IC card, also called a "smart card," is a card typically the size of a conventional credit card, but which contains a computer chip on the card. The computer chip on the IC card typically includes a microprocessor, read-only-memory (ROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only-memory (EEPROM), a random access memory (RAM), an input/output (I/O) mechanism, and other circuitry to support the microprocessor in its operations. The computer chip can execute one or more applications stored on the card. Examples of applications that IC cards are being used to store and execute include credit/debit, electronic money/purse, telephone calling card, and loyalty reward applications.
When an application is initially loaded onto an IC card, the application may include data that is associated with the application. Such data may include, for example, data that identifies the cardholder, such as the cardholder's name and account number. Additionally, the associated data may also include a promotional or bonus value provided by the application provider to the cardholder for loading the application. For example, with a telephone calling card application, an application provider may provide a certain amount of free calling time. As another example, with an electronic purse application, an application provider may provide bonus electronic cash. As yet another example, with a frequent flyer loyalty application, an application provider may provide free miles.
The use of application data to provide promotional or bonus value creates a potential problem for the IC card manufacturer and the application provider regarding the integrity of loading applications. A solution is needed to prevent a cardholder from intentionally or unintentionally copying an application when it is first loaded, and reloading the application thereafter to reload the value in the data associated with the application. By repeated reloading of an application, a cardholder may potentially obtain an unlimited amount of promotional or bonus value to which he or she is not entitled. At the same time, however, cardholders may be required to reload an application for legitimate reasons, such as for updating an application.
Accordingly, a need exists for a method of loading an application onto an IC card such that a cardholder is prevented from illegitimately reloading an application once it has been loaded onto the IC card.